The minors today.

AAA: SWB lost 4-3. Jim Miller, 1 R in 2/3 IP the loss. 0-4, 5.68. Corban Joseph, 2B, double, HR, 2 RBI. Thomas Neal (please bring him up to replace Ben Francisco. Are you reading, Cashman?) 1 for 2, 2 walks, .326.

AA: 6-1 win for Trenton. Nik Turley 6 Ip, 1 R, 1 H, 2 walks and 6 K. 2 H, rbi 2B Jose Pirela.

High A: Tampa won 5-4 in 10. DH Angelo Gumbs 3 H, rbi. 2 H, 2 RBI SS Carmen Angelini.

Low A: Charleston won 10-8. Jose Campos 1 r in 3 IP. 1B Rey Nunez 3 H and 3 RBI. 2 H, 2 RBI for 2B Claudio Custodio.

Game 43. The Lineup and a deal.

I’ll have the report later. I’ll miss today’s game because I have to work 1-5 today.

Yanks 26-16, 1st place by one game in the A.L. East. OPS+ 96 (100 is average), ERA+ 117. They are three games better than their pythagorean record.

Pronk comes back today at DH. Granderson goes to RF. Ichiro sits. Ichiro, at 39, unfortunately is looking more like a 4th OF, PR, Defensive replacement, backup OF right now. Besides a Wells/Gardner/Granderson OF looks better and makes the lineup stronger.

BA/HR/RBI  SB/attempts  OPS+   Comments  Team leader.

Gardner 8 .261-3-15  9/12  98
Cano 4 .291-10-27  2/2  129   Last 12 games .204-2-8
Wells 7 .287-10-23  4/5  129
Hafner DH .260-6-18  1/1  140
Overbay 3 .259-6-24  0/0  107
Granderson 9  4 for 11 since coming off the DL
Nix 6 .231-1-9  2/2  65
Adams 5  4th MLB game. 4 for 11 so far.
Romine 2  18th MLB game, 6 for 38 so far in his MLB career.

Phelps 1-2, 4.33    ERA+ 96

Meanwhile, a deal. The Rockies have traded utility infielder Reid Brignac to the Yankees, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. Brignac is a lefty hitter who can play 2B, 3B and SS (mostly SS). He is 27 and in 719 MLB at bats has hit .228 with 11 HR and an OPS+ of 63. His 162 g. average is .228-6-41. My guess is that Alberto Gonzalez goes for Brignac and that they work him in around Nix and Adams at SS and 3B. Brignac was hitting .250-1-6 for Colorado this year in 29 games and he played for the Rays from 2008-2012.

Game 41. No #250 for Andy as he leaves early. Yanks lose, 3-2.

Not only did Andy Pettitte not get his 250th career win tonight, he could not qualify for the win. He was pulled with neck and back trouble and took the loss after going just 4 2/3 in the Yanks 3-2 loss to Seattle.

Before the game, the Yanks optioned Brett Marshall back to SWB and brought up Dellin Betances. Here’s some info from mlb.com on the 6’8″ Betances, who may make it as a reliever, but to be frank, has been a disappointment.

Betances, 25, had been touted as one of the club’s brightest pitching prospects, ranked No. 19 by MLB.com, but the local product has experienced struggles with his control and recently moved to the bullpen full-time at Triple-A, where he was 3-2 with a 5.40 ERA in eight games (six starts).

Marshall gave up 5 R in 5 2/3 in his MLB debut but threw 108 pitches, hence the move.

In the 2nd, Andy gave up an RBI double, and the Yanks got it right back on a double by David Adams for his first career RBI.

Andy gave up a run in the fourth on a bases-loaded, 2-out infield single. He had to leave with the injury after 4 2/3. Hopefully a DL stint isn’t necessary, but after his last outing, it’s good to know that Nuno is available.

Not only that, C Chris Stewart left the game with an issue.

Calling Hawkeye and B.J. The M*A*S*H* unit is getting (can you believe it?) larger.

Pettitte, 4 2/3 (L, 4-3, 3.83), 2 R. 4 H, 3 walks and 5 K.

Shawn Kelley gave up a HR to Mike Morse (code) in the 6th. 3-1 Mariners.

Kelley 2 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 5 K.  5.71.

Logan 1 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 2.31.

Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 1.37.

The Yanks had their chances. They were 2 for 13 with RISP tonight.

I don’t know when the Yanks last successfully executed a squeeze play. In honor of one of the greatest bunters ever, Phil Rizzuto, I’ll pop open a bottle of champagne the next time they do so.

In the 5th, 1st and 3rd, one out and Gardner K’s, Nix pops up. One thing I’ve harped on FOR YEARS. Why no squeeze with Gardner up? He can beat OUT a bunt. Why no squeeze down 2-1?

They had 1st & 2nd, two out in the sixth and the rookie, Adams, bounced into a forceout.

They did cut it to 3-2 in the 7th (the final score) on a single by Ichiro, walk by Stewart and after two outs, a single by Cano.

They had Granderson on 2nd with one out in the 8th. Adams popped up and the slumping Ichiro struck out.

Gardner singled with one out in the 9th and stole 2nd and 3rd. With two out, Robbie bounced to SS to end the game.

Granderson had 3 hits tonight. Meanwhile, prospect Austin Romine has to start hitting. 1 for 17 so far in the majors this year.

Game 39. Yanks come back to win 4-3.

I only wish I could have watched it. I couldn’t. CC vs. King Felix. A  matchup of aces, and after six innings, it didn’t look good for the Yanks as they were down 3-0.

But they came back to win 4-3.

Curtis Granderson was activated off the DL today, played LF and hit cleanup. Travis Hafner will be out a couple of days with a sore shoulder. Vernon Wells Dh’d tonight. To make room for Granderson, Vidal Nuno was sent back to AAA.

Sending Nuno down serves a few purposes. For one, he won’t be able to pitch for a few days anyway. For another, yesterday was the first day he pitched in almost two weeks. Lastly, sending him back enables him to start and stay stretched out in case the Yanks need an emergency starter.

So it is CC vs. King Felix. Seattle scores an unearned run in the second, when with two outs, Kyle Seager doubles home a baserunner who had reached on an Overbay error.

In the sixth, CC gave up a 2-run HR to our old buddy, Raul Ibanez. 3-0 Seattle with King Felix on the mound. It did not look good.

But the Mariners pulled King Felix Hernandez after six. The Yanks then pounced on the M’s bullpen to win the game.

CC went 6 1/3, 3 R, 2 ER, 10 H, 2 walks and 10 K. He gets the ND, ERA to 3.19.

Meanwhile, King Felix struck out 8 in 6 IP.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Yanks started their comeback. Down 3-0, a single by Cano and eventual double by Overbay cut it to 3-1. Hernandez was then pulled after six and the Yanks took advantage, winning the game against the M’s bullpen.

In the seventh, the Yanks scored three to win the game. After Hernandez was pulled after six, Chris Nelson led off the seventh with a single. A WP (Romine K’d) and a walk to Gardner put men on 1st and 2nd, one out, whereupon Robbie Cano (Best Yanks 2B EVER? Better than HOFers Lazzeri and Gordon, not to mention Randolph?) doubled to tie the game. After walks to Wells (intentional) and Granderson, Lyle Overbay got a SF that was the game-winner.

Kelley 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K. (W, 2-0, 5.87).

D-Rob the 8th. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 1 K. 2.76.

Then the 9th to the G.O.A.T.  (Greatest of All-Time). Mo is now 16 for 16 in saves this year (only 39 games in!) and it’s his 624th all-time. His ERA drops to 1.56.

Some farewell tour at the age of 43. Really.

The Yanks will have some decisions to make soon. What do you do with Overbay once Teix returns? Who do you send down when Joba returns, Claiborne (who’s done well) or Kelley? What happens when Jeter, Youk or A-rod return? David Adams is due up tomorrow. Who goes? Nelson?

Things will be VERY INTERESTING regarding roster moves.

Yankees trade for minor league SS

The Yanks acquired SS Alberto Gonzalez from the Cubs for $$$ or a player to be named later. This is solely to provide some infield depth with all the injuries. You saw some of the problems the other day when Vernon Wells had to play 3B for an inning. Gonzalez can play SS, 2B and 3B.

Gonzalez played in 40 games for the Yanks in 2007 and 2008, hitting .152 with 2 RBI. For his career, he’s a .241 hitter in 916 AB, OPS+ 62. Good glove, no bat. His 162 g. average projects to .241-2-34.

Gonzalez was 5 for 23 for the Cubs this year, 1 HR, 2 RBI in 11 games. He’ll report to AAA SWB. He is a 30 yr. old righty bat.

 

Gm. 26. Kuroda guts it out, Yanks win 7-4. Save #10 for Mo. Yanks finish April 16-10.

The Castaways are doing ok. I’m not talking the Skipper, Gilligan, Ginger or Maryanne here.

I’m talking Overbay, Hafner, Wells …. players discarded by their former teams who are with the Yanks now. Players with a chip on their shoulder and who have something to prove. For these players have helped the Yanks end April at 16-10 after a 1-4 start.

16-10 x 6 = 96-60 with 6 games left. Any Yankees’ fan will sign up for that in a heartbeat.

Hiroki Kuroda struggled early but put it together for 7 scoreless innings tonight. He stranded 7 in the first 3 innings, but rebounded. 7 IP, 0 R, 4 H, 4 walks and 8 K. He goes to 4-1, 2.25.

Funny but I remember how Cashman was blasted for signing him. Some said he was no good (forgetting that he got no run support while with the Dodgers) and would stink with the Yanks in the AL East.

Well, since the Yanks signed him, he is 20-12 as a Yankee. He had a good ERA last year (3.32) and is at 2.25 now. I argued with those people then that Kuroda would be fine.

I wonder if they are listening now?

One of the castaways, Travis Hafner, had 3 hits tonight and drove in 3 runs. Ichiro is finally starting to heat up. He was down at .200 a while ago and his 3 hits tonight put him at .268. Overbay had a solo HR (4) tonight and most importantly, Eduardo Nunez had 3 hits to take him to .203. Granted Nunez’ BA is still terrible, but he was down at .169 and maybe this gets him going.

The Yanks need something from the left side of the infield, esp. with no A-Rod, Youk (for now) or Jeter. Nunez is at .203 and Nix at .219. That can’t last for long. They have to heat up.

Chris Stewart got two hits and is at .294—-much better than anyone expected.

Youk was put on the DL and Corban Joseph (24, lefty bat, .273-4-9, 1B/2B/3B) was brought up from AAA.

Things got interesting late. Up 4-0, D-Rob gave up 2. After the Yanks came back with 3 in the bottom of the 8th, the Astros got 2 in the top of the 9th and Mo was needed.

Mo picked up save #10, #618 for his career. ERA to 1.74. He doesn’t look like a 43-year-old who is retiring to me.

D-Rob 1 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 2 K. ERA to 4.22.

Kelley 2/3 IP, 2 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 7.84.

Hence Mo. 1 batter, 5 pitches and the save.

Gm. 15. “Newbies” help Pettitte to career win #248, 9-4.

The replacements aren’t doing badly. Skewer Brian Cashman all you want, but the guy does do a decent job in “dumpster diving.” He picked up Freddy Garcia off the scrap heap and got something out of him for a while.

Now it’s Vernon Wells, Lyle Overbay and Travis Hafner.

The three of them each hit HRs tonight to lead the Yanks to a 9-4 win over Toronto. Andy Pettitte (what, he retired?) is now 3-0, 2.01. It’s like he never left and is pitching as well as ever—-better, even.

It’s career win #248 for Andy, who gave up 3 R in 7 1/3.

Cano got 3 hits, Hafner’s HR was #5, Overbay’s #2 & Wells #4. Even Francisco Cervelli (2 hits) is at .324 right now.

I won’t post stats for a while. It’s still too early. But the Yanks are 9-6 after a 1-4 start. Pettitte, CC and Kuroda are a combined 8-2. Now for Hughes and Nova to get it going. Hughes pitched well yesterday, hopefully it continues.

Meanwhile, the “replacements” are filling in nicely.

I do wonder about Jeter though, and if this could be the beginning of the end.

S.T. Game 31. Yanks tie Houston, finalize Wells deal, give Overbay a shot.

The Yanks went against Houston tonight and finished in a 4-4 tie. Their record (after 31 games, and I include [most don't] the game against the D.R. WBC team) is 12-18-1. Maybe this is why Buster Olney and Jayson Stark are predicting the Yanks to finish last in the A.L. East. Of course on Monday they start the season at 0-0.

CC struggled, giving up 3 in the first. He lasted 5, 4 R, 6 H, 3 walks and 4 K. He’s next scheduled to start the opener against Boston at the Stadium next Monday.

Mo went 1, his usual. Scoreless. It’s rare when some team touches up Mo in spring training, 43 or not 43 years old.

Robertson, Joba, Logan and Nuno each pitched a scoreless inning.

Down 4-0, the Yanks got a run in the fifth on a Nunez walk, SB and a triple by Gardner.

The Yanks tied it in the sixth. Cano led off with a single and Youk doubled him home. Hafner singled and Hafner advanced on an error. Vernon Wells groundout plated a run. A few batters later, Stewart singled in a run to tie it while Juan Rivera was gunned down at the plate.

Gardner was 2 for 3 with an RBI. Travis Hafner, who was having a bad spring, went 3 for 4.

The Vernon Wells deal was finalized. The Yanks will pick up about $13MM of the $42MM Wells has left on his deal. In return the Angels get two low level minor leaguers who really didn’t do much or seem to have too much of a future with the Yanks: OF Exicardo Cayones, 21, who was in A- (short season) ball with Staten Island last year (.228-1-15 in 47 games) and LHP Kramer Sneed, 24, who was 0-7, 5.37 at High-A Tampa last year.

The Yanks also “dumpster dived” for 1B Lyle Overbay and will see what he has left. The lefty hitting 1B is 36 and was just released by Boston. The lefty hitter averaged 145 g., .270-16-68, OPS+ 110 from 2004-2011 for MIL/Tor/Pit/Az. For his career, a .270 hitter, OPS+ 108. Pop, but not a lot of it. .259-2-10 in 116 AB last year.

As Olney and Stark mentioned, some of these moves smack of desperation and patchwork. It doesn’t seem like the Yankees doing this. Which is why each predicted the Yanks to finish last in the A.L. East. It smacks of 1965 or 1966. Aging and/or injured greats (think of Mantle, Howard, Ford, Maris and compare them to Jeter/A-Rod/Teix/Granderson) with no farm system coming up. Ugh.

Once promising, the Yanks released IF Dave Adams. They signed RHP reliever Dan Otero (0-0, 5.84 in 12 g. w/SF last year).

Jeter finally admits that he won’t make Opening Day.

 

 

News on an off-day.

We still don’t know who is going to the Angels as part of the Vernon Wells deal. All we know is that the Angels will pick up at least $29MM of the $42MM due Wells in 2013-2014. The Yanks will allocate most of their $13MM this year to avoid going over the cap in 2014.

Hopefully, the 3x GG and 3x AS Wells will get back to what he was (but for the price, wouldn’t it have been better to keep Swish? After all, he could have played 1B while Teix was out and go back to the OF when Teix was healthy).

Wells, 34, will most likely go to LF with Gardner remaining in CF. But Wells is coming off .218-25-66 (OPS+ 84) in 2011 and .230-11-29 (OPS+ 91) in 2012. Two bad years in Anaheim. He did have a good 2010 with Toronto (.273-31-88, OPS+ 125).

His 162 g. average for his career is .273-26-92. OPS+ 106, slighty better than average. He has 259 HR. He has mostly hit 3rd or 4th in his career but  most likely won’t here. 6th or 7th seems more likely.

But you hope he can get back to what it was. His last two years have been lousy. The Yanks are picking up $13mm of the $42MM. You wonder where that $$ was when they let Chavez, Swish, Martin or Ibanez go.

The Yanks say that they have the $$ because the WBC is picking up the tab on Teix, since Teix got hurt for the WBC (as with the Dodgers, the WBC and Hanley Ramirez).

Still, the move looks like a desperation move because of the fact that Chavez, Ibanez, Martin and Swisher are opening the season in other cities while Granderson, Jeter, A-Rod and Teix are opening the season on the DL.

S.T. Game 30. Yanks walk-off with 7-6, 10 inning win.

Ronnier Mustelier, fighting for a place on the team, hit a walkoff HR leading off the bottom of the 10th as the Yanks won 7-6 over the Rays to increase their S.T. record to 12-18. Mustelier may have trouble sticking despite a good spring because apparently the Yanks are making a deal for Vernon Wells from the Angels (see the next post).

Long-time readers of this blog know I wanted Mustelier up last year and wanted Andruw Jones cut. Jones hit .197-14-34, OPS+ 88 and his D (10 GG) diminished. Mustelier’s D is a “?” but he did hit .314-15-69 in 114 games between AA and AAA.

Kevin Youkilis hit two two-run HRs in the game, but also made an error that led to four unearned runs. Travis Hafner, having a rough spring, also homered.

Eduardo Nunez was 2 for 3 with an RBI triple.

Adam Warren started, went 3 2/3, 5 R, 1 ER, 6 hits, 2 walks, 2 K. Vidal Nuno 1/3, 0 R, 2 H a walk, no K (the out was on Cervelli catching a runner trying to steal. Cervelli nabbed two runners today).

Eppley, Mo, Joba and Logan combined for four shutout innings (one each) before Aardsma allowed the Rays to tie it in the top of the 9th (1 IP, 1 R).

Josh Spence (1/3) and Preston Claiborne (2/3, W) combined for a scoreless tenth before Musty’s walkoff.

John Sterling is a bit over-the-top, but his HR call of Play Musty For Me is a good one.

Yuniesky Betancourt has been released by the Phils. You wonder, given Jeter’s problems, if the Yanks may take a flyer. More on Wells and Betancourt in the next post.